Grimm Library

No. 16

The Cattle-Raid of Cualnge(Tain Bo Cuailnge)

An Old Irish Prose-Epic

Translated for the first time from Leabhar na h-Uidhri and the Yellow Book of Lecan

BY

L. Winifred Faraday, M. A.

London

Published by David Nutt

At the Sign of the Phoenix

Long Acre

[1904]

Published by Evinity Publishing Inc, 2010.

Start Reading

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ix

THE CATTLE-RAID OF CUALNGE (from Leabhar na h-Uidhri) 1

Cuchulainn's Boyish Deeds 17

The Death of Fraech 35

The Death of Orlam 36

The Death of the Meic Garach 38

The Death of the Squirrel 39

The Death of Lethan 40

The Death of Lochu 41

The Harrying of Cualnge (first version) 41

(second version) 43

Mac Roth's Embassy 48

The Death of Etarcomol 51

The Death of Nadcrantail 55

The Finding of the Bull 59

The Death of Redg 60

The Meeting of Cuchulainn and Findabair 62

The Combat of Munremar and Curoi 64

The Death of the Boys (first version) 65

The Woman-fight of Rochad 66

The Death of the Princes 67

The Death of Cur 68

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The Number of the Feats 69

The Death of Ferbaeth 70

The Combat of Larine Mac Nois 72

The Conversation of the Morrigan with Cuchulainn 74

The Death of Long Mac Emonis 75

The Healing of the Morrigan 8

The Coming of Lug Mac Ethlend 82

The Death of the Boys (second version) 86

The Arming of Cuchulainn 87

CONTINUATION (from the Yellow Book of Lecan) 99

The Combat of Fer Diad and Cuchulainn 99

The Long Warning of Sualtaim 113

The Muster of the Ulstermen 115

The Vision of Dubthach 116

The March of the Companies 117

The Muster of the Men of Ireland 133

The Battle on Garach and Irgarach 134

The Meeting of the Bulls 139

The Peace 141

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INTRODUCTION

THE Cattle-Raid of Cualnge 1 is the chief story belonging to the heroic cycle of Ulster, which had its centre in thedeeds of the Ulster king, Conchobar Mac Nessa, and his nephew and chief warrior, Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim.Tradition places their date at the beginning of the Christian era.

The events leading up to this tale, the most famous of Irish mythical stories, may be shortly summarised here from theBook of Leinster introduction to the Tain, and from the other tales belonging to the Ulster cycle.

It is elsewhere narrated that the Dun Bull of Cualnge, for whose sake Ailill and Medb, 2 the king and queen ofConnaught, undertook this expedition, was one of two bulls in whom two rival swineherds, belonging to thesupernatural race known as the people of the Sid, or fairy-mounds, were re-incarnated, after passing through variousother forms. The other bull, Findbennach, the White-horned, was in the herd of Medb at Cruachan Ai, the Connaughtcapital, but left it to join Ailill's herd. This caused Ailill's possessions to exceed Medb's, and to equalise matters shedetermined to secure the great Dun Bull, who alone equalled the White-horned. An embassy to

[p. x]

the owner of the Dun Bull failed, and Ailill and Medb therefore began preparations for an invasion of Ulster, in whichprovince (then ruled by Conchobar Mac Nessa) Cualnge was situated. A number of smaller Tana, or cattle-raids,prefatory to the great Tain Bo Cuailnge, relate some of their efforts to procure allies and provisions.

Medb chose for the expedition the time when Conchobar and all the warriors of Ulster, except Cuchulainn andSualtaim, were at their capital, Emain Macha, in a sickness which fell on them periodically, making them powerless foraction; another story relates the cause of this sickness, the effect of a curse laid on them by a fairy woman. Ulster wastherefore defended only by the seventeen-year-old Cuchulainn, for Sualtaim's appearance is only spasmodic.Cuchulainn (Culann's Hound) was the son of Dechtire, the king's sister, his father being, in different accounts, eitherSualtaim, an Ulster warrior; Lug Mac Ethlend, one of the divine heroes from the Sid, or fairy-mound; or Conchobarhimself. The two former both appear as Cuchulainn's father in the present narrative. Cuchulainn is accompanied,throughout the adventures here told, by his charioteer, Loeg Mac Riangabra.

In Medb's force were several Ulster heroes, including Cormac Condlongas, son of Conchobar, Conall Cernach,Dubthach Doeltenga, Fiacha Mac Firfebe, and Fergus Mac Roich. These were exiled from Ulster through a bitterquarrel with Conchobar, who had caused the betrayal and murder of the sons of Uisnech, when they had come toUlster under the sworn protection of Fergus, as told in the Exile of the

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Sons of Uisnech. 1 The Ulster mischief-maker, Bricriu of the Poison-tongue, was also with the Connaught army.Though fighting for Connaught, the exiles have a friendly feeling for their former comrades, and a keen jealousy forthe credit of Ulster. There is a constant interchange of courtesies between them and their old pupil, Cuchulainn, whomthey do not scruple to exhort to fresh efforts for Ulster's honour. An equally halfhearted warrior is Lugaid Mac Nois,

king of Munster, who was bound in friendship to the Ulstermen.

Other characters who play an important part in the story are Findabair, daughter of Ailill and Medb, who is held out asa bribe to various heroes to induce them to fight Cuchulainn, and is on one occasion offered to the latter in fraud oncondition that he will give up his opposition to the host; and the war-goddess, variously styled the Nemain, the Badb(scald-crow), and the Morrigan (great queen), who takes part against Cuchulainn in one of his chief fights. Findabair isthe bait which induces several old comrades of Cuchulainn's, who had been his fellow-pupils under the sorceressScathach, to fight him in single combat.

The tale may be divided into:

1. Introduction: Fedelm's prophecy.

2. Cuchulainn's first feats against the host, and the several geis, or taboos, which he lays on them.

3. The narration of Cuchulainn's boyish deeds, by the Ulster exiles to the Connaught host.

4. Cuchulainn's harassing of the host.

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5. The bargain and series of single combats, interrupted by breaches of the agreement on the part of Connaught.

6. The visit of Lug Mac Ethlend.

7. The fight with Fer Diad.

8. The end: the muster of the Ulstermen.

The MSS.

The Tain Bo Cuailnge survives, in whole or in part, in a considerable number of Mss., most of which are, however,late. The most important are three in number:

(1) Leabhar na h-Uidhri (LU), 'The Book of the Dun Cow,' a Ms. dating from about Imo. The version here given is anold one, though with some late additions, in later language. The chief of these are the piece coming between the deathof the herd Forge-men and the fight with Cur Mac Dalath (including Cuchulainn's meeting with Findabair, and the'woman-fight' of Rochad), and the whole of what follows the Healing of the Morrigan. The tale is, like others in thisMs., unfinished, the Ms. being imperfect.

(2) The Yellow Book of Lecan (YBL), a late fourteenth-century Ms. The Tain in this is substantially the same as inLU. The beginning is missing, but the end is given. Some of the late additions of LU are not found here; and YBL, lateas it is, often gives an older and better text than the earlier MS.

(3) The Book of Leinster (LL), before 1160. The Tain here is longer, fuller, and later in both style and language than inLU or YBL. It is essentially a

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literary attempt to give a complete and consistent narrative, and is much less interesting than the older LU-YBLrecension.

In the present version, I have collated LU, as far as it goes, with YBL, adding from the latter the concluding parts ofthe story, from the Fight with Fer Diad to the end. After the Fight with Fer Diad, YBL breaks off abruptly, leavingnearly a page blank; then follow several pages containing lists, alternative versions of some episodes given in LU(Rochad's Woman-fight, the Warning to Conchobar), and one or two episodes which are narrated in LL. I omit about

one page, where the narrative is broken and confused.

The pages which follow the Healing of the Morrigan in LU are altogether different in style from the rest of the story astold in LU, and are out of keeping with its simplicity. This whole portion is in the later manner of LL, with which, forthe most part, it is in verbal agreement. Further, it is in part repetition of material already given (i.e. the coming of theboy-host of Ulster, and Cuchulainn's displaying himself to the Connaught troops).

Comparison of the Versions

A German translation of the Leinster text of the Tain Bo Cuailnge will soon be accessible to all in Dr. Windisch'spromised edition of the text. It is therefore unnecessary to compare the two versions in detail. Some of the maindifferences may be pointed out, however.

Of our three copies none is the direct ancestor of

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any other. LU and YBL are from a common source, though the latter Ms. is from an older copy; LL is independent.The two types differ entirely in aim and method. The writers of LU and YBL aimed at accuracy; the Leinster man, atpresenting an intelligible version. Hence, where the two former reproduce obscurities and corruptions, the latter omits,paraphrases, or expands. The unfortunate result is that LL rarely, if ever, helps to clear up textual obscurities in theolder copy.

On the other hand, it offers explanations of certain episodes not clearly stated in LU. Thus, for example, where LU, inthe story of the sons of Nechta Scene, simply mentions 'the withe that was on the pillar,' LL explains that the withe hadbeen placed there by the sons of Nechta Scene (as Cuchulainn placed a similar withe in the path of the Connaughthost), with an ogam inscription forbidding any to pass without combat; hence its removal was an insult and a breach ofgeis. Again, the various embassies to Cuchulainn, and the terms made with him (that he should not harass the host ifhe were supplied daily with food, and with a champion to meet him in single combat), are more clearly described inLL.

Some of the episodes given in LU are not told in the Leinster version. Of the boyish deeds of Cuchulainn, LL tellsonly three: his first appearance at Emain (told by Fergus), Culann's feast (by Cormac), and the feats followingCuchulainn's taking of arms (by Fiacha). In the main narrative, the chief episodes omitted in LL are the fight withFraech, the Fergus and Medb episode, and the meeting of Findabair and Cuchulainn. The meeting with the Morrigan is

[p. xv]

missing, owing to the loss of a leaf. Other episodes are differently placed in LL: e.g. the Rochad story (an entirelydifferent account), the fight of Amairgen and Curoi with stones, and the warning to Conchobar, all follow the fightwith Fer Diad.

A peculiarity of the LU-YBL version is the number of passages which it has in common with the Dinnsenchas, aneleventh-century compilation of place-legends. The existing collections of Dinnsenchas contain over fifty entriesderived from the Tain cycle, some corresponding with, others differing from those in LU.

This version has also embodied a considerable number of glosses in the text. As many of these are common to LU andYBL, they must go back to the common original, which must therefore have been a harmony of previously existingversions, since many of these passages give variants of incidents.

Age of the Versions

There is no doubt that the version here translated . is a very old one. The language in LU is almost uniformly MiddleIrish, not more than a century earlier than the date of the Ms.; thus it shows the post-thetic he, iat, etc. as object, theadverb with co, the confusion of ar and for, the extension of the b-future, etc. But YBL preserves forms as old as the

Glosses:

(1) The correct use of the infixed relative, e.g. rombith, 'with which he struck.' (LU, robith, 58a, 45.)

(2) The infixed accusative pronoun, e.g. nachndiusced,

[p. xvi]

'that he should not wake him.' (LU, nach diusced, 62a, 30.)

(3) no with a secondary tense, e.g. nolinad, 'he used to fill.' (LU, rolinad, 60b, 6.)

(4) Very frequently YBL keeps the right aspirated or non-aspirated consonant, where LU shows a generalconfusion, etc.

LL has no very archaic forms, though it cultivates a pseudo-archaic style; and it is unlikely that the Leinster versiongoes back much earlier than 1050. The latter part of the LU Tain shows that a version of the Leinster type was knownto the compiler. The style of this part, with its piling-up of epithets, is that of eleventh-century narrative, asexemplified in texts like the Cath Ruis na Rig and the Cogadh Gaidhil; long strings of alliterative epithets, introducedfor sound rather than sense, are characteristic of the period. The descriptions of chariots and horses in the Fer Diadepisode in YBL are similar, and evidently belong to the same rescension.

The inferences from the facts noted in the foregoing sections may be stated as follows: A version of the Tain goesback to the early eighth, or seventh century, and is preserved under the YBL text; an opinion based on linguisticevidence, but coinciding with the tradition which ascribes the 'Recovery of the Tain' to Senchan Torpeist, a bard of thelater seventh century. This version continued to be copied down to the eleventh century, gradually changing as thelanguage changed. Meanwhile, varying accounts of parts of the story came into existence, and some time in theeleventh century a new redaction was made, the oldest representative of which is the LL text. Parts

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of this were embodied in or added to the older version; hence the interpolations in LU.

The Fer Diad Episode

There is much difference between the two versions of this episode. In YBL, the introductory portion is long and full,the actual fight very short, while in LL the fight is long-drawn-out, and much mole stress is laid on the pathetic aspectof the situation. Hence it is generally assumed that LL preserves an old version of the episode, and that the scribe ofthe Yellow Book has compressed the latter part. It is not, however, usual, in primitive story-telling, to linger overscenes of pathos. Such lingering is, like the painted tears of late Italian masters, invariably a sign of decadence. It isone of the marks of romance, which recognises tragedy only when it is voluble, and prodigal of lamentation. The olderversion of the Tain is throughout singularly free from pathos of the feebler sort; the humorous side is alwaysuppermost, and the tragic suggestions interwoven with it.

But it is still a matter of question whether the whole Fer Diad episode may not be late. Professor Zimmer thinks it is;but even the greatest scholar, with a theory to prove, is not quite free. It will of course be noticed, on this side, that thechief motives of the Fer Diad episode all appear previously in other episodes (e.g. the fights with Ferbaeth and withLoch). Further, the account even in YBL is not marked by old linguistic forms as are other parts of the tale, whilemuch of it is in the bombastic descriptive style of LL. In the condition in which we have the tale, however, this

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adventure is treated as the climax of the story. Its motive is to remove Cuchulainn from the field, in order to give therest of Ulster a chance. But in the account of the final great fight in YBL, Cuchulainn's absence is said to be due to hishaving been wounded in a combat against odds (crechtnugud i n-ecomlund). Considering, therefore, that even in YBL

the Fer Diad episode is late in language, it seems possible that it may have replaced some earlier account in whichCuchulainn was so severely wounded that he was obliged to retire from the field.

Previous Work on the 'Tain'

Up to the present time the Tain has never been either printed or translated, though the LU version has been for thirtyyears easily accessible in facsimile. Dr. Windisch's promised edition will shortly be out, containing the LL and LUtexts, with a German translation of the former. The most useful piece of work done hitherto for the Tain is the analysisby Professor Zimmer of the LU text (conclusion from the Book of Leinster), in the fifth of his Keltische Studien(Zeitschrift fr vergl. Sprachtforschung, xxviii.). Another analysis of the story, by Mr. S. H. O'Grady, appeared in MissEleanor Hull's The Cuchullin Saga; it is based on a late paper MS. in the British Museum, giving substantially thesame version as LL. This work contains also a map of ancient Ireland, showing the route of the Connaught forces; buta careful working-out of the topography of the Tain is much needed, many names being still unidentified. Several ofthe small introductory Tana have been published

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in Windisch and Stokes's Irische Texte; and separate episodes from the great Tain have been printed and translatedfrom time to time. The Fight with Fer Diad (LL) was printed with translation by O'Curry in the Manners and Customsof the Ancient Irish. The story of the Two Swineherds, with their successive re-incarnations until they became the DunBull and the White-horned (an introductory story to the Tain), is edited with translation in Irische Texte, and Mr. Nuttprinted an abridged English version in the Voyage of Bran.

The Leinster version seems to have been the favourite with modern workers, probably because it is complete andconsistent; possibly its more sentimental style has also served to commend it.

Aim of this Translation

It is perhaps unnecessary to say that the present version is intended for those who cannot read the tale in the original; itis therefore inadvisable to overload the volume with notes, variant readings, or explanations of the readings adopted,which might repel 'the readers to whom it is offered.

At the present time, an enthusiasm for Irish literature is not always accompanied by a knowledge of the Irish language.It seems therefore to be the translator's duty, if any true estimate of this literature is to be formed, to keep fairly closeto the original, since nothing is to be gained by attributing beauties which it does not possess, while obscuring its truemerits, which are not few. For the same reason, while keeping the Irish second person singular in verses and

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formal speech, I have in ordinary dialogue substituted the pronoun you, which suggests the colloquial style of theoriginal better than the obsolete thou.

The so-called rhetorics are omitted in translating; they are passages known in Irish as rosc, often partly alliterative, butnot measured. They are usually meaningless strings of words, with occasional intelligible phrases. In all probability thepassages aimed at sound, with only a general suggestion of the drift. Any other omissions are marked where theyoccur; many obscure words in the long descriptive passages are of necessity left untranslated. In two places I havemade slight verbal changes without altering the sense, a liberty which is very rarely necessary in Irish.

Of the headings, those printed in capitals are in the text in the Ms.; those italicised are marginal. I have bracketedobvious scribal glosses which have crept into the text. Some of the marginal glosses are translated in the footnotes.

Geographical Names

As a considerable part of the Tain is occupied by connecting episodes with place-names, an explanation of some of thecommonest elements in these may be of use to those who know no Irish:

Ath = a ford; e.g. Ath Gabla (Ford of the Fork), Ath Traiged (Ford of the Foot), Ath Carpat (Ford of Chariots), Ath Fraich (Fraech's Ford), etc.

Belat = cross-roads; e.g. Belat Alioin.

Bernas =a pass, or gap; e.g. Bernas Bo Ulad or Bernas Bo Cuailnge (Pass of the Cows of Ulster, or of Cualnge).

Clithar = a shelter; e.g. Clithar Bo Ulad (shelter of the Cows of Ulster).

[p. xxi]

Cul = a corner; e.g. Cul Airthir (eastern corner).

Dun = a fort; e.g. Dun Sobairche.

Fid = a wood; e.g. Fid Mor Drualle (Great Wood of the Sword-sheath).

Glass =a brook, stream; e.g. Glass Chrau (the stream of Blood), Glass Cruind, Glass Gatlaig (gatt = a withe, laig = a calf).

Glenn = a glen; e.g. Glenn Gatt (Glen of the Withe), Glenn Firbaith (Ferbaeth's Glen), Glenn Gatlaig.

Grellach = a bog; e.g. Grellach Doluid.

Guala = a hill-shoulder; e.g. Gulo Mulchai (Mulcha's shoulder).

Loch = a lake; e.g. Loch Reoin, Loch Echtra.

Mag = a plain; egg. Mag Ai, Mag Murthemne, Mag Breg, Mag Clochair (cloch = a stone).

Methe, explained as if from meth (death); Methe Togmaill (death of the Squirrel), Methe n-Eoin (death of the Bird).

Reid, gen. Rede = a plain; e.g. Ath Rede Locha (Ford of Locha's Plain).

Sid = a fairy mound; e.g. Sid Fraich (Fraech's Mound).

Sliab = a mountain; e.g. Sliab Fuait.

I need perhaps hardly say that many of the etymologies given in Irish sources are pure invention, stories being oftenmade up to account for the names, the real meaning of which was unknown to the mediaeval story-teller or scribe.

In conclusion, I have to express my most sincere thanks to Professor Strachan, whose pupil I am proud to be. I havehad the advantage of his wide knowledge and experience in dealing with many obscurities in the text, and he has alsoread the proofs. I am indebted also to Mr. E. Gwynn, who has collated at Trinity College, Dublin, a number ofpassages in the Yellow Book of Lecan, which are illegible or incorrect in the facsimile; and to Dr. Whitley Stokes fornotes and suggestions on many obscure words.

LLANDAFF, November 1903.

[p. 1]

THIS IS THE CATTLE-RAID OF CUALNGE

I

A GREAT hosting was brought together by the Connaughtmen, that is, by Ailill and Medb; and they sent to the threeother provinces. And messengers were sent by Ailill to the seven sons of Magach: Ailill, Anluan, Mocorb, Cet, En,Bascall, and Doche; a cantred with each of them. And to Cormac Condlongas Mac Conchobair with his three hundred,who was billeted in Connaught. Then they all come to Cruachan Ai.

Now Cormac had three troops which came to Cruachan. The first troop had many-coloured cloaks folded round them;

hair like a mantle (?); the tunic falling (?) to the knee, and long (?) shields; and a broad grey spearhead on a slendershaft in the hand of each man.

The second troop wore dark grey cloaks, and tunics with red ornamentation down to their calves, and long hairhanging behind from their heads, and white shields (?), and five-pronged spears were in their hands.

'This is not Cormac yet,' said Medb.

Then comes the third troop; and they wore purple cloaks, and hooded tunics with red ornamentation down to their feet,hair smooth to their shoulders,

[p. 2]

and round shields with engraved edges, and the pillars 1 of a palace in the hand of each man.

'This is Cormac now,' said Medb.

Then the four provinces of Ireland were assembled, till they were in Cruachan Ai. And their poets and their druids didnot let them go thence till the end of a fortnight, for waiting for a good omen. Medb said then to her charioteer the daythat they set out:

'Every one who parts here to-day from his love or his friend will curse me,' said she, 'for it is I who have gathered thishosting.'

'Wait then,' said the charioteer, 'till I turn the chariot with the sun, and till there come the power of a good omen thatwe may come back again.'

Then the charioteer turned the chariot, and they set forth. Then they saw a full-grown maiden before them. She hadyellow hair, and a cloak of many colours, and a golden pin in it; and a hooded tunic with red embroidery. She woretwo shoes with buckles of gold. Her face was narrow below and broad above. Very black were her two eyebrows; herblack delicate eyelashes cast a shadow into the middle of her two cheeks. You would think it was with partaing 2 herlips were adorned. You would think it was a shower of pearls that was in her mouth, that is, her teeth. She had threetresses: two tresses round her head above, and a tress behind, so that it struck her two thighs behind her. A shuttle 3 ofwhite metal, with an inlaying of gold, was in her hand. Each of her two eyes had three pupils. The maiden was armed,and there were two black horses to her chariot.

[p. 3]

'What is your name?' said Medb to the maiden.

'Fedelm, the prophetess of Connaught, is my name,' said the maiden.

'Whence do you come?' said Medb.

'From Scotland, after learning the art of prophecy,' said the maiden.

'Have you the inspiration (?): which illumines?' 1 said Medb.

'Yes, indeed,' said the maiden.

'Look for me how it will be with my hosting,' said Medb.

Then the maiden looked for it; and Medb said: 'O Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou the host?'

'Fedelm answered and said: 'I see very red, I see red.'

'That is not true,' said Medb; 'for Conchobar is in his sickness at Emain and the Ulstermen with him, with all the best 2of their warriors; and my messengers have come and brought me tidings thence.

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?' said Medb.

'I see red,' said the maiden.

'That is not true,' said Medb; 'for Celtchar Mac Uithichair is in Dun Lethglaise, and a third of the Ulstermen with him;and Fergus, son of Roich, son of Eochaid, is here with us, in exile, and a cantred with him.

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?' said Medb.

[p. 4]

'I see very red, I see red,' said the maiden.

'That matters not,' said Medb; 'for there are mutual angers, and quarrels, and wounds very red in every host and inevery assembly of a great army. Look again for us then, and tell us the truth.

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?'

'I see very red, I see red,' said Fedelm.

'I see a fair man who will make play With a number of wounds (?) on his girdle; 1 A hero's flame over his head, His forehead a meeting-place of victory.

'There are seven gems of a hero of valour In the middle of his two irises; There is on his cloak, He wears a red clasped tunic.

'He has a face that is noble, Which causes amazement to women. A young man who is fair of hue Comes . 2

'Like is the nature of his valour To Cuchulainn of Murthemne. I do not know whose is the Hound Of Culann, whose fame is the fairest. But I know that it is thus That the host is very red from him.

'I see a great man on the plain He gives battle to the hosts; Four little swords of feats There are in each of his two hands.

[p. 5]

'Two Gae-bolga, 1 he carries them, Besides an ivory-hilted sword and spear; 2 he wields to the host; Different is the deed for which each arm goes from him.

'A man in a battle-girdle (?), of a red cloak, He puts every plain.

He smites them, over left chariot wheel (?); The Riastartha 3 wounds them. The form that appeared to me on him hitherto, I see that his form has been changed.

'He has moved forward to the battle, If heed is not taken of him it will be treachery. I think it likely it is he who seeks you: Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim.

'He will strike on whole hosts, He will make dense slaughters of you, Ye will leave with him many thousands of heads. The prophetess Fedelm conceals not.

'Blood will rain from warriors wounds At the hand of a warriortwill be full harm. He will slay warriors, men will wander Of the descendants of Deda Mac Sin. Corpses will be cut off, women will lament Through the Hound of the Smith that I see.'

The Monday after Samain 4 they set forth, and this is the way they took: south-east from Cruachan Ai, i.e. by MuiccCruimb, by Teloch Teora Crich, by Tuaim Mona, by Cul Sibrinne, by Fid, by Bolga, by Coltain,

[p. 6]

by Glune-gabair, by Mag Trego, by North Tethba, by South Tethba, by Tiarthechta, by Ord, by Slais southwards, byIndiuind, by Carnd, by Ochtrach, by Midi, by Findglassa Assail, by Deilt, by Delind, by Sailig, by Slaibre, by SlechtaSelgatar, by Cul Sibrinne, by Ochaind southwards, by Uatu northwards, by Dub, by Comur southwards, by Tromma,by Othromma eastwards, by Slane, by Gortslane, by Druim Licce southwards, by Ath Gabla, by Ard Achad, by Feraindnorthwards, by Findabair, by Assi southwards, by Druim Salfind, by Druim Cain, by Druim Mac n-Dega, by EodondMor, by Eodond Bec, by Methe Togmaill, by Methe Eoin, by Druim Caemtechta, by Scuaip, by Imscuaip, by CendFerna, by Baile, by Aile, by Bail Scena, by Dail Scena, by Fertse, by Ross Lochad, by Sale, by Lochmach, by Anmag,by Deind, by Deilt, by Dubglaiss, by Fid Mor, by Colbtha, by Cronn, to Cualnge.

From Findabair Cuailnge, it is thence the hosts of Ireland were divided over the province to seek the Bull. For it is pastthese places that they came, till they reached Findabair.

(Here ends the title; and the story begins as follows:)

THIS IS THE STORY IN ORDER

When they had come on their first journey from Cruachan as far as Cul Sibrinne, Medb told her charioteer to get readyher nine chariots for her, that she might make a circuit in the camp, to see who disliked and who liked the expedition.

Now his tent was pitched for Ailill, and the furniture

[p. 7]

was arranged, both beds and coverings. Fergus Mac Roich in his tent was next to Ailill; Cormac Condlongas MacConchobair beside him; Conall Cernach by him; Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe, the son of Conchobar's daughter, by him.Medb, daughter of Eochaid Fedlech, was on Ailill's other side; next to her, Findabair, daughter of Ailill and Medb.That was besides servants and attendants.

Medb came, after looking at the host, and she said it were folly for the rest to go on the hosting, if the cantred of theLeinstermen went.

'Why do you blame the men?' said Ailill.

'We do not blame them,' said Medb; 'splendid are the warriors. When the rest were making their huts, they hadfinished thatching their huts and cooking their food; when the rest were at dinner, they had finished dinner, and theirharpers were playing to them. It is folly for them to go,' said Medb; 'it is to their credit the victory of the hosts will be.'

'It is for us they fight,' said Ailill.

'They shall not come with us,' said Medb.

'Let them stay then,' said Ailill.

'They shall not stay,' said Medb. 'They will come on us after we have gone,' said she, 'and seize our land against us.'

'What is to be done to them?' said Ailill; 'will you have them neither stay nor go?'

'To kill them,' said Medb.

'We will not hide that this is a woman's plan,' said Ailill; 'what you say is not good!'

'With this folk,' said Fergus, 'it shall not happen thus (for it is a folk bound by ties to us Ulstermen), unless we are allkilled.'

[p. 8]

'Even that we could do,' said Medb; 'for I am here with my retinue of two cantreds,' said she, 'and there are the sevenManes, that is, my seven sons, with seven cantreds; their luck can protect them,' (?) said she; 'that is Mane-Mathramail, and Mane-Athramail, and Mane-Morgor, and Mane-Mingor, and Mane-Moepert (and he is Mane-Milscothach), Mane-Andoe, and Mane-who-got-everything: he got the form of his mother and of his father, and thedignity of both.'

'It would not be so,' said Fergus. 'There are seven kings of Munster here, and a cantred with each of them, infriendship with us Ulstermen. I will give battle to you,' said Fergus, 'in the middle of the host in which we are, withthese seven cantreds, and with my own cantred, and with the cantred of the Leinster-men. But I will not urge that,'said Fergus, 'we will provide for the warriors otherwise, so that they shall not prevail over the host. Seventeen cantredsfor us,' said Fergus, 'that is the number of our army, besides our rabble, and our women (for with each king there is hisqueen, in Medb's company), and besides our striplings. This is the eighteenth cantred, the cantred of the Leinstermen.Let them be distributed among the rest of the host.'

'I do not care,' said Medb, 'provided they are not gathered as they are.'

Then this was done; the Leinstermen were distributed among the host.

They set out next morning to Moin Choiltrae, where eight score deer fell in with them in one herd. They surroundedthem and killed them then; wherever there was a man of the Leinstermen, it was he who

[p. 9]

got them, except five deer that all the rest of the host got. Then they came to Mag Trego, and stopped there andprepared their food. They say that it is there that Dubthach sang this song:

'Grant what you have not heard hitherto, Listening to the fight of Dubthach. A hosting very black is before you, Against Findbend 1 of the wife of Ailill.

'The man of expeditions will come Who will defend (?) Murthemne. Ravens will drink milk of 2 From the friendship of the swineherds.

'The turfy Cronn 3 will resist them; He will not let them into Murthemne Until the work of warriors is over In Sliab Tuad Ochaine.

'"Quickly," said Ailill to Cormac,"Go that you may your son. The cattle do not come from the fields That the din of the host may not terrify them (?).

'"This will be a battle in its time For Medb with a third of the host. There will be flesh of men therefrom If the Riastartha comes to you."'

Then the Nemain attacked them, and that was not the quietest of nights for them, with the uproar of the churl (i.e.Dubthach) through their sleep. The host

[p. 10]

started up at once, and a great number of the host were in confusion, till Medb carne to reprove him.

Then they went and spent the night in Granard Tethba Tuascirt, after the host had been led astray over bogs and overA warning was sent from Fergus to the Ulstermen here, for friendship. They were now in the weakness, exceptCuchulainn and his father Sualtaim.

Cuchulainn and his father went, after the coming of the warning from Fergus, till they were in Iraird Cuillend,watching the host there.

'I think of the host to-night,' said Cuchulainn to his father. 'Go from us with a warning to the Ulstermen. I am forced togo to a tryst with Fedelm Noichride, 1 from my own pledge that went out to her.'

He made a spancel-withe 2 then before he went, and wrote an ogam on its , and threw it on the top of the pillar.

The leadership of the way before the army was given to Fergus. Then Fergus went far astray to the south, till Ulstershould have completed the collection of an army; he did this for friendship. Ailill and Medb perceived it; it was thenMedb said:

'O Fergus, this is strange, What kind of way do we go? Straying south or north We go over every other folk.

'Ailill of Ai with his hosting Fears that you will betray them. You have not given your mind hitherto To the leading of the way.

[p. 11]

If it is in friendship that you do it, Do not lead the horses Peradventure another may be found To lead the way.'

Fergus replied:

'O Medb, what troubles you? This is not like treachery. It belongs to the Ulstermen, O woman, The land across which I am leading you.

'It is not for the disadvantage of the host That I go on each wandering in its turn; It is to avoid the great man Who protects Mag Murthemne.

'Not that my mind is not distressed On account of the straying on which I go, But if perchance I may avoid even afterwards Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim.'

Then they went till they were in Iraird Cuillend. Eirr and Indell, Foich and Foclam (their two charioteers), the foursons of Iraird Mac Anchinne, 1 it is they who were before the host, to protect their brooches and their cushions andtheir cloaks, that the dust of the host might not soil them. They found the withe that Cuchulainn threw, and perceivedthe grazing that the horses had grazed. For Sualtaim's two horses had eaten the grass with its roots from the earth;Cuchulainn's two horses had licked the earth as far as the stones beneath the grass. They sit down then, until the hostcame, and the musicians play to them. They give the withe into the hands of Fergus Mac Roich; he read the ogam thatwas on it.

[p. 12]

When Medb came, she asked, 'Why are you waiting here?'

'We wait,' said Fergus, 'because of the withe yonder. There is an ogam on its , and this is what is in it: "Let noone go past till a man is found to throw a like withe with his one hand, and let it be one twig of which it is made; andI except my friend Fergus." 'Truly,' said Fergus, 'Cuchulainn has thrown it, and they are his horses that grazed theplain.'

And he put it in the hands of the druids; and Fergus sang this song:

'Here is a withe, what does the withe declare to us? What is its mystery? What number threw it? Few or many?

'Will it cause injury to the host, If they go a journey from it? Find out, ye druids, something therefore For what the withe has been left.

' of heroes the hero who has thrown it, Full misfortune on warriors; A delay of princes, wrathful is the matter, One man has thrown it with one hand.

'Is not the king's host at the will of him, Unless it breaks fair play? Until one man only of you Throw it, as one man has thrown it. I do not know anything save that For which the withe should have been put. Here is a withe.'

Then Fergus said to them: 'If you outrage this withe,' said he, 'or if you go past it, though he be in

[p. 13]

the custody of a man, or in a house under a lock, the of the man who wrote the ogam on it will reach him, andwill slay a goodly slaughter of you before morning, unless one of you throw a like withe.'

'It does not please us, indeed, that one of us should be slain at once,' said Ailill. 'We will go by the neck of the greatwood yonder, south of us, and we will not go over it at all.'

The troops hewed down then the wood before the chariots. This is the name of that place, Slechta. It is there thatPartraige is. (According to others, the conversation between Medb and Fedelm the prophetess took place there, as wetold before; and then it is after the answer she gave to Medb that the wood was cut down; i.e. 'Look for me,' saidMedb, 'how my hosting will be.' 'It is difficult to me,' said the maiden; 'I cannot cast my eye over them in the wood.' 'Itis ploughland (?) there shall be,' said Medb; 'we will cut down the wood.' Then this was done, so that Slechta was thename of the place.)

They spent the night then in Cul Sibrille; a great snowstorm fell on them, to the girdles of the men and the wheels ofthe chariots. The rising was early next morning. And it was not the most peaceful of nights for them, with the snow;and they had not prepared food that night. But it was not early when Cuchulainn came from his tryst; he waited towash and bathe.

Then he came on the track of the host. 'Would that we had not gone there,' said Cuchulainn, 'nor betrayed theUlstermen; we have let the host go to them unawares. Make us an estimation of the host,' said Cuchulainn to Loeg,'that we may know the number of the host.'

[p. 14]

Loeg did this, and said to Cuchulainn: 'I am confused,' said he, 'I cannot attain this.'

'It would not be confusion that I see, if only I come,' said Cuchulainn.

'Get into the chariot then,' said Loeg.

Cuchulainn got into the chariot, and put a reckoning over the host for a long time.

'Even you,' said Loeg, 'you do not find it easy.'

'It is easier indeed to me than to you,' said Cuchulainn; 'for I have three gifts, the gifts of eye, and of mind, and ofreckoning. I have put a reckoning 1 on this,' said he; 'there are eighteen cantreds,' said he, 'for their number; only thatthe eighteenth cantred is distributed among all the host, so that their number is not clear; that is, the cantred of theLeinstermen.'

Then Cuchulainn went round the host till he was at Ath Gabla. 2 He cuts a fork 3 there with one blow of his sword, andput it on the middle of the stream, so that a chariot could not pass it on this side or that. Eirr and Indell, Foich andFochlam (their two charioteers) came upon him thereat. He strikes their four heads off, and throws them on to the fourpoints of the fork. Hence is Ath Gabla.

Then the horses of the four went to meet the host, and their cushions very red on them. They supposed it was abattalion that was before them at the ford. A troop went from them to look at the ford; they saw

[p. 15]

nothing there but the track of one chariot and the fork with the four heads, and a name in ogam written on the side. Allthe host came then.

'Are the heads yonder from our people?' said Medb.

'They are from our people and from our choice warriors,' said Ailill.

One of them read the ogam that was on the side of the fork; that is: 'A man has thrown the fork with his one hand; andyou shall not go past it till one of you, except Fergus, has thrown it with one hand.'

'It is a marvel,' said Ailill, 'the quickness with which the four were struck.'

'It was not that that was a marvel,' said Fergus; 'it was the striking of the fork from the trunk with one blow; and if theend was [cut] with one blow, 1 it is the fairer for it, and that it was thrust in in this manner; for it is not a hole that hasbeen dug for it, but it is from the back of the chariot it has been thrown with one hand.'

'Avert this strait from us, O Fergus,' said Medb.

'Bring me a chariot then,' said Fergus, 'that I may take it out, that you may see whether its end was hewn with oneblow.' Fergus broke then fourteen chariots of his chariots, so that it was from his own chariot that he took it out of theground, and he saw that the end was hewn with one blow.

'Heed must be taken to the character of the tribe to which we are going,' said Ailill. 'Let each of you prepare his food;you had no rest last night for the snow. And something shall be told to us of the adventures and stories of the tribe towhich we are going.'

It is then that the adventures of Cuchulainn were

[p. 16]

related to them. Ailill asked: 'Is it Conchobar who has done this?'

'Not he,' said Fergus; 'he would not have come to the border of the country without the number of a battalion roundhim.'

'Was it Celtchar Mac Uithidir?'

'Not he; he would not have come to the border of the country without the number of a battalion round him.'

'Was it Eogan Mac Durtacht?'

'Not he,' said Fergus; 'he would not have come over the border the country without thirty chariots two-pointed (?)round him. This is the man who would have done the deed,' said Fergus, 'Cuchulainn; it is he who would cut the tree atone blow from the trunk, and who would have killed the four yonder as quickly as they were killed, and who wouldhave come to the boundary with his charioteer.'

'What kind of man,' said Ailill, 'is this Hound of whom we have heard among the Ulstermen? What age is this youthwho is famous?'

'An easy question, truly,' said Fergus. 'In his fifth year he went to the boys at Emain Macha to play; in his sixth yearhe went to learn arms and feats with Scathach. In his seventh year he took arms. He is now seventeen years old at thistime.'

'Is it he who is hardest to deal with among the Ulstermen?' said Medb.

'Over every one of them,' said Fergus. 'You will not find before you a warrior who is harder to deal with, nor a pointthat is sharper or keener or swifter, nor a hero who is fiercer, nor a raven that is more flesh-loving, nor a match of hisage that can equal

[p. 17]

him as far as a third; nor a lion that is fiercer, nor a fence (?) of battle, nor a hammer of destruction, nor a door ofbattle, nor judgment on hosts, nor preventing of a great host that is more worthy. You will not find there a man whowould reach his age, and his growth, and his dress, and his terror, his speech, his splendour, his fame, his voice, hisform, his power, his hardness, his accomplishment, his valour, his striking, his rage, his anger, his victory, his doom-giving, his violence, his estimation, his hero-triumph, his speed, his pride, his madness, with the feat of nine men onevery point, like Cuchulainn.'

'I don't care for that,' said Medb; 'he is in one body; he endures wounding; he is not above capturing. Therewith his ageis that of a grown-up girl, and his manly deeds have not come yet.'

'Not so,' said Fergus. 'It would be no wonder if he were to do a good deed to-day; for even when he was younger hisdeeds were manly.'

HERE ARE HIS BOYISH DEEDS

'He was brought up,' said Fergus,' by his mother and father at the in Mag Murthemne. The stories of the boysin Emain were related to him; for there are three fifties of boys there,' said Fergus, 'at play. It is thus that Conchobarenjoys his sovereignty: a third of the day watching the boys; another third playing chess; 1 another third drinking beertill sleep seizes him therefrom. Although we are in exile, there is not in Ireland a warrior who is more wonderful,' saidFergus.

[p. 18]

'Cuchulainn asked his mother then to let him go to the boys.

'"You shall not go," said his mother, "until you have company of warriors."

'"I deem it too long to wait for it," said Cuchulainn. "Show me on which side Emain is."

'"Northwards so," said his mother; "and the journey is hard," said she, "Sliab Fuait is between you."

'"I will find it out," said Cuchulainn.

'He goes forth then, and his shield of lath with him, and his toy-spear, and his playing-club, and his ball. He keptthrowing his staff before him, so that he took it by the point before the end fell on the ground.

'He goes then to the boys without binding them to protect him. For no one used to go to them in their play-field till hisprotection was guaranteed. He did not know this.

'"The boy insults us," said Follomon Mac Conchobair, "besides we know he is of the Ulstermen. Throw at him!"

'They throw their three fifties of toy-spears at him, and they all remained standing in his shield of lath. Then theythrow all the balls at him; and he takes them, each single ball, in his bosom. Then they throw their three fifties ofhurling-clubs at him; he warded them off so that they did not touch him, and he took a bundle of them on his back.Then contortion seized him. You would have thought that it was a hammering wherewith each little hair had beendriven into his head, with the arising with which he arose. You would have thought there was a spark of fire on everysingle hair. He shut one of his eyes so that it was not wider than the eye of a needle. He opened

[p. 19]

the other so that it was as large as the mouth of a meadcup. He laid bare from his jawbone to his ear; he opened hismouth to his jaw 1 so that his gullet was visible. The hero's light rose from his head. Then he strikes at the boys. Heoverthrows fifty of them before they reached the door of Emain. Nine of them came over me and Conchobar as we

were playing chess. Then he springs over the chessboard after the nine. Conchobar caught his elbow.

'"The boys are not well treated," said Conchobar.

'"Lawful for me, O friend Conchobar," said he. "I came to them from my home to play, from my mother and father;and they have not been good to me."

'"What is your name?" said Conchobar.

'"Setanta Mac Sualtaim am I," said he, "and the son of Dechtere, your sister. It was not fitting to hurt me here."

'"Why were the boys not bound to protect you?" said Conchobar.

'"I did not know this," said Cuchulainn. "Undertake my protection against them then."

'"I recognise it," said Conchobar.

'Then he turned aside on 2 the boys throughout the house.

'"What ails you at them now?" said Conchobar.

'"That I may be bound to protect them," said Cuchulainn.

'"Undertake it," said Conchobar.

'"I recognise it," said Cuchulainn.

'Then they all went into the play-field, and those

[p. 20]

boys who had been struck down there arose. Their foster-mothers and foster-fathers helped them.

'Once,' said Fergus, 'when he was a youth, he used not to sleep in Emain Macha till morning.

'"Tell me," said Conchobar to him, "why you do not sleep?"

'"I do not do it," said Cuchulainn, "unless it is equally high at my head and my feet."

'Then a stone pillar was put by Conchobar at his head, and another at his feet, and a bed was made for him separatelybetween them,

'Another time a certain man went to awaken him, and he struck him with his fist in his forehead, so that it took thefront of his forehead on to the brain, and so that he overthrew the pillar with his arm.'

'It is known,' said Ailill, 'that it was the fist of a warrior and that it was the arm of a hero.'

'From that time,' said Fergus, 'no one dared to awaken him till he awoke of himself.

'Another time he was playing ball in the play-field east of Emain; he alone apart against the three fifties of boys; heused to defeat them in every game in this way always. The boys lay hold of him therewith, and he plied his fist upon

them until fifty of them were killed. He took to flight then, till he was under the pillow of Conchobar's bed. All theUlstermen rise round him, and I rise, and Conchobar himself. Then he rose under the bed, and put the bed from him,with the thirty heroes who were on it, till it was in the middle of the house. The Ulstermen sit round him in

[p. 21]

the house. We arrange and make peace then,' said Fergus, 'between the boys and him.

'There was contention between Ulster and Eogan Mac Durtacht. The Ulstermen went to the battle. He was left asleep.The Ulstermen were defeated. Conchobar was left [on the field], and Cuscraid Mend Macha, and many more beside.Their lament awoke Cuchulainn. He stretched himself then, so that the two stones that were about him broke; in thepresence of Bricriu yonder it was done,' said Fergus. 'Then he arose. I met him in the door of the fort, and I wounded.

'"Alas! God save you, friend Fergus," said he, "where is Conchobar?"

'"I do not know," said I.

'Then he went forth. The night was dark. He made for the battlefield. He saw a man before him, with half his head on,and half of another man on his back.

'"Help me, O Cuchulainn," said he; "I have been wounded and I have brought half of my brother on my back. Carry itfor me a while."

'"I will not carry it," said he.

'Then he throws the burden to him; he throws it from him; they wrestle; Cuchulainn was overthrown. I heardsomething, the Badb from the corpses: "Ill the stuff of a hero that is under the feet of a phantom." Then Cuchulainnrose against. him, and strikes his head off with his playing-club, and begins to drive his ball before him across theplain.

'"Is my friend Conchobar in this battlefield?"

'He answered him. He goes to him, till he sees

[p. 22]

him in the trench, and there was the earth round him on every side to hide him.

'"Why have you come into the battlefield," said Conchobar, "that you may swoon there?"

'He lifts him out of the trench then; six of the strong men of Ulster with us would not have brought him out morebravely.

'"Go before us to the house yonder," said Conchobar; "if a roast pig came to me, I should live."

'"I will go and bring it," said Cuchulainn.

'He goes then, and saw a man at a cooking-hearth in the middle of the wood; one of his two hands had his weapons init, the other was cooking the pig.

'The hideousness of the man was great; nevertheless he attacked him and took his head and his pig with him.Conchobar ate the pig then.

'"Let us go to our house," said Conchobar.

'They met Cuscraid Mac Conchobair. There were sore wounds on him; Cuchulainn took him on his back. The three ofthem went then to Emain Macha.

'Another time the Ulstermen were in their weakness. There was not among us,' said Fergus, 'weakness on women andboys, nor on any one who was outside the country of the Ulstermen, nor on Cuchulainn and his father. And so no onedared to shed their blood; for the suffering springs on him who wounds them. 1

'Three times nine men came to us from the Isles of Faiche. They went over our back court when we were in ourweakness. The women screamed in the court. The boys were in the play-field; they come at the

[p. 23]

cries. When the boys saw the dark, black men, they all take to flight except Cuchulainn alone. He plies hand-stonesand his playing-club on them. He kills nine of them, and they leave fifty wounds on him, and they go forth besides. Aman who did these deeds when his five years were not full, it would be no wonder that he should have come to theedge of the boundary and that he should have cut off the heads of yonder four.'

'We know him indeed, this boy,' said Conall Cernach, and we know him none the worse that he is a fosterling of ours.It was not long after the deed that Fergus has just related, when he did another deed. When Culann the smith served afeast to Conchobar, Culann said that it was not a multitude that should be brought to him, for the preparation which hehad made was not from land or country, but from the fruit of his two hands and his pincers. Then Conchobar went,and fifty chariots with him, of those who were noblest and most eminent of the heroes. Now Conchobar visited thenhis play-field. It was always his custom to visit and revisit them at going and coming, to seek a greeting of the boys.He saw then Cuchulainn driving his ball against the three fifties of boys, and he gets the victory over them. When itwas hole-driving that they did, he filled the hole with his balls and they could not ward him off. When they were allthrowing into the hole, he warded them off alone, so that not a single ball would go in it. When it was wrestling theywere doing, he overthrew the three fifties of boys by himself, and there did not meet round him a number that couldoverthrow him. When it was stripping that they did,

[p. 24]

he stripped them all so that they were quite naked, and they could not take from him even his brooch out of his cloak.

'Conchobar thought this wonderful. He said: "Would he bring his deeds to completion, provided the age of manhoodcame to them?" Every one said: "He would bring them to completion." Conchobar said to Cuchulainn: "Come withme," said he, "to the feast to which we are going, because you are a guest."

'"I have not had enough of play yet, O friend Conchobar," said the boy; "I will come after you."

'When they had all come to the feast, Culann said to Conchobar: "Do you expect any one to follow you?" said he.

'"No," said Conchobar. He did not remember the appointment with his foster-son who was following him.

'"I have a watch-dog," said Culann; "there are three chains on him, and three men to each chain. 1 Let him be let slipbecause of our cattle and stock, and let the court be shut."

'Then the boy comes. The dog attacks him. He went on with his play still: he threw his ball, and threw his club after it,so that it struck the ball. One stroke was not greater than another; and he threw his toy-spear after them, and he caughtit before falling; and it did not hinder his play, though the dog was approaching him. Conchobar and his retinue this, so that they could not move; they thought they would not find him alive when they came, even though the courtwere open. Now when the dog came to him, he threw away his ball and his club, and seized the dog with his two

hands; that is, he put one of his

[p. 25]

hands to the apple of the dog's throat; and he put the other at its back; he struck it against the pillar that was besidehim, so that every limb sprang apart. (According to another, it was his ball that he threw into its mouth, and broughtout its entrails through it.)

'The Ulstermen went towards him, some over the wall, others over the doors of the court. They put him on Conchobar'sknee. A great clamour arose among them, that the king's sister's son should have been almost killed. Then Culanncomes into the house.

'"Welcome, boy, for the sake of your mother. Would that I had not prepared a feast! My life is a life lost, and myhusbandry is a husbandry without, without my dog. He had kept honour and life for me," said he, "the man of myhousehold who has been taken from me, that is, my dog. He was defence and protection to our property and our cattle;he was the protection of every beast to us, both field and house."

'"It is not a great matter," said the boy; "a whelp of the same litter shall be raised for you by me, and I will be a dogfor the defence of your cattle and for your own defence now, until that dog grows, and until he is capable of action;and I will defend Mag Murthemne, so that there shall not be taken away from me cattle nor herd; unless I have."

'"Then your name shall be Cu-chulainn," said Cathbad.

'"I am content that it may be my name," said Cuchulainn.

'A man who did this in his seventh year, it would be no wonder that he should have done a great deed now when hisseventeen years are completed,' said Conall Cernach.

[p. 26]

'He did another exploit,' said Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe. Cathbad the Druid was with his son, Conchobar Mac Nessa. Ahundred active men were with him, learning magic from him. That is the number that Cathbad used to teach. A certainone of his pupils asked of him for what this day would be good. Cathbad said a warrior should take arms thereinwhose name should be over Ireland for ever, for deed of valour, and his fame should continue for" ever. Cuchulainnheard this. He comes to Conchobar to ask for arms. Conchobar said, "Who has instructed you?"

'"My friend Cathbad," said Cuchulainn.

'"We know indeed," said Conchobar.

'He gave him spear and shield. He brandished them in the middle of the house, so that nothing remained of the fifteensets of armour that were in store in Conchobar's household against the breaking of weapons or taking of arms by anyone. Conchobar's own armour was given to him. That withstood him, and he brandished it, and blessed the king whosearmour it was, and said, "Blessing to the people and race to whom is king the man whose armour that is."

'Then Cathbad came to them, and said: "Has the boy taken arms?" said Cathbad.

'"Yes," said Conchobar.

'"This is not lucky for the son of his mother," said he.

'"What, is it not you advised it?" said Conchobar. "Not I, surely," said Cathbad.

'"What advantage to you to deceive me, wild boy?" said Conchobar to Cuchulainn.

[p. 27]

'"O king of heroes, it is no trick," said Cuchulainn; "it is he who taught it to his pupils this morning; and I heard him,south of Emain, and I came to you then."

'"The day is good thus," said Cathbad; "it is certain he will be famous and renowned, who shall take arms therein; buthe will be short-lived only."

'"A wonder of might," said Cuchulainn; "provided I be famous, I am content though I were but one day in the world."

'Another day a certain man asked the druids what it is for which that day was good.

'"Whoever shall go into a chariot therein," said Cathbad, "his name shall be over Ireland for ever."

'Then Cuchulainn heard this; he comes to Conchobar and said to him: "O friend Conchobar," said he, "give me achariot." He gave him a chariot. He put his hand between the two poles 1 of the chariot, so that the chariot broke. Hebroke twelve chariots in this way. Then Conchobar's chariot was given to him. This withstood him. He goes then in thechariot, and Conchobar's charioteer with him. The charioteer (Ibor was his name) turned the chariot under him. "Comeout of the chariot now," said the charioteer.

'"The horses are fine, and I am fine, their little lad," said Cuchulainn. "Go forward round Emain only, and you shallhave a reward for it."

'So the charioteer goes, and Cuchulainn forced him then that he should go on the road to greet the boys "and that theboys might bless me."

[p. 28]

'He begged him to go on the way again. When they come, Cuchulainn said to the charioteer: "Ply the goad on thehorses," said he.

'"In what direction?" said the charioteer.

'"As long as the road shall lead us," said Cuchulainn.

'They come thence to Sliab Fuait, and find Conall Cernach there. It fell to Conall that day to guard the province; forevery hero of Ulster was in Sliab Fuait in turn, to protect any one who should come with poetry, or to fight against aman; so that it should be there that there should be some one to encounter him, that no one should go to Emainunperceived.

'"May that be for prosperity," said Conall; "may it be for victory and triumph."

'"Go to the fort, O Conall, and leave me to watch here now," said Cuchulainn.

'"It will be enough," said Conall, "if it is to protect any one with poetry; if it is to fight against a man, it is early for youyet."

'"Perhaps it may not be necessary at all," said Cuchulainn. "Let us go meanwhile," said Cuchulainn, "to look upon theedge of Loch Echtra. Heroes are wont to abide there."

'"I am content," said Conall.

'Then they go thence. He throws a stone from his sling, so that a pole of Conall Cernach's chariot breaks.

'"Why have you thrown the stone, O boy?" said Conall.

'"To try my hand and the straightness of my throw," said Cuchulainn; "and it is the custom with you Ulstermen, thatyou do not travel beyond your

[p. 29]

peril. Go back to Emain, O friend Conall, and leave me here to watch."

'"Content, then," said Conall.

'Conall Cernach did not go past the place after that. Then Cuchulainn goes forth to Loch Echtra, and they found no onethere before them. The charioteer said to Cuchulainn that they. should go to Emain, that they might be in time for thedrinking there.

'"No," said Cuchulainn. "What mountain is it yonder?" said Cuchulainn.

'"Sliab Monduirn," said the charioteer.

'"Let us go and get there," said Cuchulainn. They go then till they reach it. When they had reached the mountain,Cuchulainn asked: "What is the white cairn yonder on the top of the mountain?"

'"Find Carn," said the charioteer.

'"What plain is that over there?" said Cuchulainn.

'"Mag Breg," said the charioteer. He tells him then the name of every chief fort between Temair and Cenandas. He tellshim first their meadows and their fords, their famous places and their dwellings, their fortresses and their high hills.He shows 1 him then the fort of the three sons of Nechta Scene; Foill, Fandall, and Tuachell were their names.

'"Is it they who say," said Cuchulainn, "that there are not more of the Ulstermen alive than they have slain of them?"

'"It is they indeed," said the charioteer.

'"Let us go till we reach them," said Cuchulainn.

'"Indeed it is peril to us," said the charioteer.

'"Truly it is not to avoid it that we go," said Cuchulainn.

[p. 30]

'Then they go forth and unharness their horses at the meeting of the bog and the river, to the south above the fort of theothers; and he threw the withe that was on the pillar as far as he could throw into the river and let it go with the stream,for this was a breach of geis to the sons of Nechta Scene. They perceive it then, and come to them. Cuchulainn goes tosleep by the pillar after throwing the withe at the stream; and he said to the charioteer: "Do not waken me for few; butwaken me for many."

'Now the charioteer was very frightened, and he made ready their chariot and pulled its coverings and skins whichwere over Cuchulainn; for he dared not waken him, because Cuchulainn told him at first that he should not waken himfor a few.

'Then come the sons of Nechta Scene.

'"Who is it who is there?" said one of them.

'"A little boy who has come to-day into the chariot for an expedition," said the charioteer.

'"May it not be for his happiness," said the champion; "and may it not be for his prosperity, his first taking of arms. Lethim not be in our land, and let the horses not graze there any more," said the champion.

'"Their reins are in my hands," said the charioteer.

'"It should not be yours to earn hatred," said Ibar to the champion; "and the boy is asleep."

'"I am not a boy at all," said Cuchulainn; "but it is to seek battle with a man that the boy who is here has come."

'"That pleases me well," said the champion.

'"It will please you now in the ford yonder," said Cuchulainn.

[p. 31]

'"It befits you," said the charioteer, "take heed of the man who comes against you. Foill is his name," said he; "forunless you reach him in the first thrust, you will not reach him till evening."

'"I swear by the god by whom my people swear, he will not ply his skill on the Ulstermen again, if the broad spear ofmy friend Conchobar should reach him from my hand. It will be an outlaw's hand to him."

'Then he cast the spear at him, so that his back broke. He took with him his accoutrements and his head.

'"Take heed of another man," said the charioteer, Fandall 1 is his name. Not more heavily does he traverse (?) the waterthan swan or swallow."

'"I swear that he will not ply that feat again on the Ulstermen," said Cuchulainn. "You have seen," said he, "the way Itravel the pool at Emain."

'They meet then in the ford. Cuchulainn kills that man, and took his head and his arms.

'"Take heed of another man who comes towards you," said the charioteer. "Tuachell 2 is his name. It is no misname forhim, Tor he does not fall by arms at all."

'"Here is the javelin for him to confuse him, so that it may make a red-sieve of him," said Cuchulainn.

'He cast the spear at him, so that it reached him in his . Then he went to him and cut off his head. Cuchulainngave his head and his accoutrements to his own charioteer. He heard then the cry of their mother, Nechta Scene,behind them.

'He puts their spoils and the three heads in his chariot with him, and said: "I will not leave my

[p. 32]

triumph," said he, "till I reach Emain Macha." Then they set out with his triumph.

'Then Cuchulainn said to the charioteer: "You promised us a good run," said he, "and we need it now because of thestrife and the pursuit that is behind us." They go on to Sliab Fuait; and such was the speed of the run that they madeover Breg after the spurring of the charioteer, that the horses of the chariot overtook the wind and the birds in flight,and that Cuchulainn caught the throw that he sent from his sling before it reached the ground.

'When they reached Sliab Fuait, they found a herd of wild deer there before them.

"What are those cattle yonder so active?" said Cuchulainn.

'"Wild deer," said the charioteer.

'"Which would the Ulstermen think best," said Cuchulainn, "to bring them dead or alive?"

'"It is more wonderful alive," said the charioteer; "it is not every one who can do it so. Dead, there is not one of themwho cannot do it. You cannot do this, to carry off any of them alive," said the charioteer.

'"I can indeed," said Cuchulainn. "Ply the goad on the horses into the bog."

'The charioteer does this. The horses stick in the bog. Cuchulainn sprang down and seized the deer that was nearest,and that was the finest of them. He lashed the horses through the bog, and overcame the deer at once, and bound itbetween the two poles of the chariot.

'They saw something again before them, a flock of swans.

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'"Which would the Ulstermen think best," said Cuchulainn, "to have them dead or alive?"

'"All the most vigorous and finest (?) bring them alive," said the charioteer.

'Then Cuchulainn aims a small stone at the birds, so that he struck eight of the birds. He threw again a large stone, sothat he struck twelve of them. All that was done by his return-stroke.

'"Collect the birds for us," said Cuchulainn to his charioteer. "If it is I who go to take them," said he, "the wild deerwill spring upon you."

'"It is not easy for me to go to them," said the charioteer. "The horses have become wild so that I cannot go past them.I cannot go past the two iron tyres 1 of the chariot, because of their sharpness; and I cannot go past the deer, for hishorn has filled all the space between the two poles of the chariot."

'"Step from its horn," said Cuchulainn. "I swear by the god by whom the Ulstermen swear, the bending with which Iwill bend my head on him, and the eye that I will make at him, he will not turn his head on you, and he will not dare tomove."

'That was done then. Cuchulainn made fast the reins, and the charioteer collects the birds. Then Cuchulainn bound thebirds from the strings and thongs of the chariot; so that it was thus he went to Emain Macha: the wild deer behind hischariot, and the flock of swans flying over it, and the three heads in his chariot. Then they come to Emain.

'"A man in a chariot is coming to you," said the watchman in Emain Macha; "he will shed the blood

[p. 34]

of every man who is in the court, unless heed is taken, and unless naked women go to him."

'Then he turned the left side of his chariot towards Emain, and that was a geis 1 to it; and Cuchulainn said: "I swear bythe god by whom the Ulstermen swear, unless a man is found to fight with me, I will shed the blood of every one whois in the fort."

'"Naked women to meet him!" said Conchobar.

'Then the women of Emain go to meet him with Mugain, the wife of Conchobar Mac Nessa, and bare their breastsbefore him. "These are the warriors who will meet you to-day," said Mugain.

'He covers his face; then the heroes of Emain seize him and throw him into a vessel of cold water. That vessel burstsround him. The second vessel into which he was thrown boiled with bubbles as big as the fist therefrom. The thirdvessel into which he went, he warmed it so that its heat and its cold were rightly tempered. Then he comes out; and

the queen, Mugain, puts a blue mantle on him, and a silver brooch therein, and a hooded tunic; and he sits atConchobar's knee, and that was his couch always after that. The man who did this in his seventh year,' said Fiacha MacFir-Febe, 'it were not wonderful though he should rout an overwhelming force, and though he should exhaust (?) anequal force, when his seventeen years are complete to-day.'

(What follows is a separate version 2 to the death of Orlam.)

'Let us go forth now,' said Ailill.

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Then they reached Mag Mucceda. Cuchulainn cut an oak before them there, and wrote an ogam in its side. It is thisthat was therein: that no one should go past it till a warrior should leap it with one chariot. They pitch their tents there,and come to leap over it in their chariots. There fall thereat thirty horses, and thirty chariots are broken. Belach n-Ane,that is the name of that place for ever.

The Death of Fraech

They are there till next morning; then Fraech is summoned to them. 'Help us, O Fraech,' said Medb. 'Remove from usthe strait that is on us. Go before Cuchulainn for us, if perchance you shall fight with him.'

He set out early in the morning with nine men, till he reached Ath Fuait. He saw the warrior bathing in the river.

'Wait here,' said Fraech to his retinue, 'till I come to the man yonder; not good is the water,' said he.

He took off his clothes, and goes into the water to him.

'Do not come to me,' said Cuchulainn. 'You will die from it, and I should be sorry to kill you.'

'I shall come indeed,' said Fraech, 'that we may meet in the water; and let your play with me be fair.'

'Settle it as you like,' said Cuchulainn.

'The hand of each of us round the other,' said Fraech.

They set to wrestling for a long time on the water, and Fraech was submerged. Cuchulainn lifted him up again.

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'This time,' said Cuchulainn, 'will you yield and accept your life?' 1

'I will not suffer it,' said Fraech.

Cuchulainn put hiss under it again, until Fraech was killed. He comes to land; his retinue carry his body to the camp.Ath Fraich, that was the name of that ford for ever. All the host lamented Fraech. They saw a troop of women in greentunics 2 on the body of Fraech Mac Idaid; they drew him from them into the mound. Sid Fraich was the name of thatmound afterwards.

Fergus springs over the oak in his chariot. They go till they reach Ath Taiten; Cuchulainn destroys six of them there:that is, the six Dungals of Irress.

Then they go on to Fornocht. Medb had a whelp named Baiscne. Cuchulainn throws a cast at him, and took his headoff. Druim was the name of that place henceforth.

'Great is the mockery to you,' said Medb, 'not to hunt the deer of misfortune yonder that is killing you.'

Then they start hunting him, till they broke the shafts of their chariots thereat.

The Death of Orlam

They go forth then over Iraird Culend in the morning. Cuchulainn went forward; he overtook the charioteer of Orlam,son of Ailill and Medb, in Tamlacht Orlaim, a little to the north of Disert Lochait,

[p. 37]

cutting wood there. (According to another version, it is the shaft of Cuchulainn's chariot that had broken, and it is tocut a shaft that he had gone when he met Orlam's charioteer. It is the charioteer who cut the shafts according to thisversion.)

'It is over-bold, what' the Ulstermen are doing, if it is they who are yonder,' said Cuchulainn, 'while the host is behindthem.' He goes to the charioteer to reprove him; he thought that he was of Ulster, and he saw the man cutting wood,that is the chariot-shaft.

'What are you doing here?' said Cuchulainn.

'Cutting chariot-shafts,' said the charioteer. 'We have broken our chariots hunting the wild deer Cuchulainn yonder.Help me,' said the charioteer. 'Look only whether you are to select the shafts, or to strip them.'

'It will be to strip them indeed,' said Cuchulainn.

Then Cuchulainn stripped the shafts through his fingers in the presence of the other, so that he cleared them both ofbark and knots.

'This cannot be your proper work that I put on you,' said the charioteer; he was greatly afraid. 'Whence are you?' saidCuchulainn.

'The charioteer of Orlam, son of Ailill and Medb,' said he. 'And you?' said the charioteer.

'My name is Cuchulainn,' said he.

'Alas!' said the charioteer.

'Fear nothing,' said Cuchulainn. 'Where is your master?' said he.

'He is in the trench yonder,' said the charioteer.

'Go forth then with me,' said Cuchulainn, 'for I do not kill charioteers at all.'

Cuchulainn goes to Orlam, kills him, cuts his head

[p. 38]

off, and shakes his head before the host. Then he puts the head on the charioteer's back, and said to him:

'Take that with you,' said Cuchulainn, 'and go to the camp thus. If you do not of go thus, a stone will come to you frommy sling.'

When he got near the camp, he took the head from his back, and told his adventures to Ailill and Medb.

'This is not like taking birds,' said she.

And he said, 'Unless I brought it on my back to the camp, he would break my head with a stone.'

The Death of the Meic Garach

Then the Meic Garach waited on their ford. These are their names: Lon and Ualu and Diliu; and Mes-Ler, and Mes-Laech, and Mes-Lethan were their three charioteers. They thought it too much what Cuchulainn had done: to slay twofoster-sons of the king, and his son, and to shake the head before the host. They would slay Cuchulainn in return forhim, and would themselves remove this annoyance from the host. They cut three aspen wands for their charioteers, thatthe six of them should pursue combat against him. He killed them all then, because they had broken fair-play towardshim.

Orlam's charioteer was then between Ailill and Medb. Cuchulainn hurled a stone at him, 1 so that his head broke, andhis brains came over his ears; Fertedil was his name. (Thus it is not true that Cuchulainn did not kill charioteers;howbeit, he did not kill them without fault.)

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The Death of the Squirrel

Cuchulainn threatened in Methe, that wherever he should see Ailill or Medb afterwards he would throw a stone fromhis sling at them. He did this then: he threw a stone from his sling, so that he killed the squirrel that was on Medb'sshoulder south of the ford: hence is Methe Togmaill. And he killed the bird that was on Ailill's shoulder north of theford: hence is Methe n-Eoin. (Or it is on Medb's shoulder that both squirrel and bird were together, and it is their headsthat were struck from them by the casts.)

Reoin was drowned in his lake. Hence is Loch Reoin.

'That other is not far from you,' said Ailill to the Manes.

They arose and looked round. When they sat down again, Cuchulainn struck one of them, so that his head broke.

'It was well that you went for that: your boasting was not fitting,' said Maenen the fool. 'I would have taken his headoff.'

Cuchulainn threw a stone at him, so that his head broke. It is thus then that these were killed: Orlam in the first placeon his hill; the Meic Garach on their ford; Fertedil in his ; Maenan in his hill.

'I swear by the god by whom my people swear,' said Ailill, 'that man who shall make a mock of Cuchulainn here, I willmake two halves of him.'

'Go forth for us both day and night,' said Ailill, 'till we reach Cualnge. That man will kill two-thirds of the host in thisway.'

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It is there that the harpers of the Cainbili 1 from Ossory came to them to amuse them. They thought it was from theUlstermen to spy on them. They set to hunting them, till they went before them in the forms of deer into the stones atLiac Mor on the north. For they were wizards with great cunning.

The Death of Lethan

Lethan came on to his ford on the Nith(?) in Conaille. He waited himself to meet Cuchulainn. It vexed him whatCuchulainn had done. Cuchulainn cuts off his head and left it, hence it is Ath Lethan on the Nith. And their chariotsbroke in the battle on the ford by him; hence it is Ath Carpat. Mulcha, Lethan's charioteer, fell on the shoulder of thehill that is between them; hence is Gulo Mulchai. While the hosts were going over Mag Breg, he struck (?) their still. 2

Yet that was the Morrigan in the form of a bird on the pillar in Temair Cuailnge; and she spoke to the Bull:

'Does the Black know,' etc. 3

Then the Bull went, and fifty heifers with him, to

[p. 41]

Sliab Culind; and his keeper, Forgemen by name, went after him. He threw off the three fifties of boys who usedalways to play on him, and he killed two-thirds of his boys, and dug a trench in Tir Marcceni in Cualnge before hewent.

The Death of Lochu

Cuchulainn killed no one from the Saile ind Orthi (?) in the Conaille territory, until they reached Cualnge. Cuchulainnwas then in Cuince; he threatened then that when he saw Medb he would throw a stone at her head. This was not easyto him, for it is thus that Medb went and half the host about her, with their shelter of shields over her head.

Then a waiting-woman of Medb's, Lochu by name, went to get water, and a great troop of women with her.Cuchulainn thought it was Medb. He threw two stones from Cuince, so that he slew her in her plain (?). Hence is AthRede Locha in Cualnge.

From Findabair Cuailnge the hosts divided, and they set the country on fire. They collect all there were of women, andboys, and maidens, and cattle, in Cualnge together, so that they were all in Findabair.

'You have not gone well,' said Medb; 'I do not see the Bull with you.'

'He is not in the province at all,' said every one.

Lothar the cowherd is summoned to Medb.

'Where is the Bull?' said she. 'Have you an idea?'

'I have great fear to tell it,' said the herd. 'The night,' said he, 'when the Ulstermen went into their weakness, he wentwith three twenties of heifers

[p. 42]

with him, so that he is at the Black Corrie of Glenn Gatt.'

'Go,' said Medb, 'and carry a withe 1 between each two of you.'

They do this: hence this glen is called Glenn Gatt. Then they bring the Bull to Findabair. The place where he saw theherd, Lothar, he attacked him, so that he brought his entrails out on his horns; and he attacked the camp with his threefifties of heifers, so that fifty warriors were killed. And that is the death of Lothar on the Foray.

Then the Bull went from them out of the camp, and they knew not where he had gone from them; and they wereashamed. Medb asked the herd if he had an idea where the Bull was.

'I think he would be in the secret places of Sliab Culind.'

Then they returned thus after ravaging Cualnge, and did not find the Bull there. The river Cronn rose against them tothe tops of the trees; and they spent the night by it. And Medb told part of her following to go across.

A wonderful warrior went next day, Ualu his name. He took a great stone on his back to go across the water; thestream drove him backwards with the stone on his back. His grave and his stone are on the road at the stream: LiaUaland is its name.

They went round the river Cronn to the source, and they would have gone between the source and the mountain, onlythat they could not get leave from Medb; she preferred to go across the mountain, that their track might remain therefor ever, for an insult

[p. 43]

to the Ulstermen. They waited there three days and three nights, till they dug the earth in front of them, the Bernas BoCuailnge.

It is there that Cuchulainn killed Crond and Cmdele and . 1 A hundred warriors died 1 with Roan andRoae, the two historians of the Foray. A hundred and forty-four, kings died by him at the same stream. They came thenover the Bernas Bo Cuailnge with the cattle and stock of Cualnge, and spent the night in Glenn Dail Imda in Cualnge.Botha is the name of this place, because they made huts over them there. They come next day to Colptha. They try tocross it through heedlessness. It rose against them then, and it carries a hundred charioteers of them to the sea; this isthe name of the land in which they were drowned, Cluain Carptech.

They go round Colptha then to its source, to Belat Alioin, and spent the night at Liasa Liac; that is the name of thisplace, because they made sheds over their calves there between Cualnge and Conaille. They came over Glenn Gatlaig,and Glass Gatlaig rose against them. Sechaire was its name before; Glass Gatlaig thenceforth, because it was in withesthey brought their calves; and they slept at Druim Fene in Conaille. (Those then are the wanderings from Cualnge toMachaire according to this version.)

This is the Harrying of Cualnge

(Other authors and books make it that another way was taken on their journeyings from Findabair to Conaille, asfollows:

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Medb said after every one had come with their booty, so that they were all in Findabair Cuailnge: 'Let the host bedivided,' said Medb; 'it will be impossible to bring this expedition by one way. Let Ailill go with half the expedition byMidluachair; Fergus and I will go by Bernas Ulad: 1

'It is not fine,' said Fergus, 'the half of the expedition that has fallen to us. It will be impossible to bring the cattle overthe mountain without dividing it.'

That was done then, so that it is from that there is Bernas Bo n-Ulad.)

It is there then that Ailill said to his charioteer Cuillius: 'Find out for me to-day Medb and Fergus. I know not what hasbrought them to this union. I shall be pleased that a token should come to me by you.'

Cuillius came when they were in Cluichre. The pair remained behind, and the warriors went on. Cuillius came to them,and they heard not the spy. Fergus sword happened to be beside him. Cuillius drew it out of its sheath, and left the

sheath empty. Cuillius came to Ailill.

'So?' said Ailill.

'So indeed,' said Cuillius; 'there is a token for you.'

'It is well,' said Ailill.

Each of them smiles at the other.

'As you thought,' said Cuillius, 'it is thus that I found them, in one another's arms.'

'It is right for her,' said Ailill; 'it is for help on the Foray that she has done it. See that the sword is

[p. 45]

kept in good condition,' said Ailill. 'Put it under your seat in the chariot, and a cloth of linen around it.' Fergus got upfor his sword after that.

'Alas!' said he.

'What is the matter with you?' said Medb.

'An ill deed have I done to Ailill,' said he. 'Wait here, while I go into the wood,' said Fergus; 'and do not wonderthough it be long till I come.'

It happened that Medb knew not the loss of the sword. He goes thence, and takes the sword of his charioteer with himin his hand. He makes a wooden sword in the wood. Hence there is Fid Mor Drualle in Ulster.

'Let us go on after our comrades,' said Fergus. All their hosts meet in the plain. They pitch their tents. Fergus issummoned to Ailill to play chess. When Fergus went to the tent, Ailill began to laugh at him. 1

. . . . . . .

Cuchulainn came so that he was at Ath Cruinn before them.

'O friend Loeg,' said he to his charioteer, 'the hosts are at hand to us.'

'I swear by the gods,' said the charioteer, 'I will do a mighty feat before warriors on slender steeds with yokes ofsilver, with golden wheels '

'Take heed, O Loeg,' said Cuchulainn; 'hold the reins for great victory of Macha I beseech,' said Cuchulainn, 'thewaters to help me. I beseech heaven and earth, and the Cronn in particular.'

The (river) Cronn takes to fighting against them;

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it will not let them into Murthemne until the work of heroes be finished in Sliab Tuath Ochaine.

Therewith the water rose up till it was in the tops of the trees.

Mane, son of Ailill and Medb, went before the rest. Cuchulainn smites them on the ford, and thirty horsemen ofMane's retinue were drowned in the water. Cuchulainn overthrew two sixteens of warriors of them again by the water.

They pitch their tents at that ford. Lugaid Mac Nois, descendant of Lomarc Allchomach, came to speak to Cuchulainn,

with thirty horsemen.

'Welcome, O Lugaid,' said Cuchulainn. 'If a flock of birds graze upon Mag Murthemne, you shall have a duck withhalf of another; if fish come to the estuaries, you shall have a salmon with half of another. You shall have the threesprigs, the sprig of watercress, and the sprig of marshwort, and the sprig of seaweed. You shall have a man in the fordin your place.' 1

'I believe it,' said Lugaid. 'Excellence of people to the boy whom I desire.'

'Your hosts are fine,' said Cuchulainn.

'It would not be sad for you alone before them,' said Lugaid.

'Fair-play and valour will support me,' said Cuchulainn. 'O friend Lugaid, do the hosts fear me?'

'I swear by God,' said Lugaid, 'one man nor two dare not go out of the camp, unless it be in twenties or thirties.'

'It will be something extra for them,' said Cuchulainn,

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'if I take to throwing from the sling. Fitting for you will be this fellow-vassal, O Lugaid, that you have among theUlstermen, if there come to me the force of every man. Say what you would have,' said Cuchulainn.

'That I may have a truce with you towards my host.'

'You shall have it, provided there be a token on it. And tell my friend Fergus that there be a token on his host. Tell thephysicians, let there be a token on their host. And let them swear preservation of life to me, and let there come to meprovision every night from them.'

Then Lugaid goes from him. Fergus happened to be in the tent with Ailill. Lugaid called him out, and told him this.Something was heard, namely Ailill. 1

'I swear by God I cannot do it,' said Lugaid, 'unless I ask the boy again.'

'Help me, 2 O Lugaid, go to him to see whether Ailill may come with a cantred into my troop. Take an ox with baconto him and a jar of wine.'

He goes to Cuchulainn then and tells him this.

'I do not mind though he go,' said Cuchulainn.

Then their two troops join. They are there till night. Cuchulainn kills thirty men of them with the sling. (Or they wouldbe twenty nights there, as some books say.)

'Your journeyings are bad,' said Fer